“I’m struggling to remember what they were, though,” I said with a huffed laugh.
He snorted. “They’ll come back to you. Probably in the middle of the night.”
“Probably. If they do, I’ll come and wake you up.”
“Couldn’t they wait until after breakfast?”
“What if I forget again?” I asked, grinning at him. “We don’t want to keep going through this cycle.”
“Don’t be an arse,” Matty said.
“You like my arse, though.”
“I do.”
“Oh, I totally forgot to tell you what Jack said this afternoon,” I said as I looked up at him, reminding myself of the little details of his face. “I asked him if he’d like new potatoes or couscous with his chicken for dinner, and he just looked me dead in the eyes and said, ‘Obviously couscous, Harper. I’m ’phisticated.’ I had to go and hide in the utility room for ten minutes while I laughed.”
“Fucking hell,” Matty said, closing his eyes and putting his hand on his forehead. “I’m so sorry. I did not realise I was raising a pretentious diva.”
“You’re fine,” I said. “Two minutes later he asked me if he could also have baked beans with it, so it balances out.”
“Baked beans and couscous? All right. Also, when the hell did he learn sophisticated?”
“No idea, but I suppose it’s a change from him walking naked along the landing and singing about having a bottom.”
“Keeps us on our toes, I guess,” Matty said with a wry chuckle. “I’m pretty sure he’s going to want to be a plague doctor for Halloween by the way.”
“Love that! I’m sure I can make him a mask with papier mâché.”
“Why am I not surprised you know how to make papier mâché?”
“I’m an early childhood nanny, honey. Of course I know how to make things with papier mâché! I can also make great salt dough ornaments, a piñata with pipe cleaners and tissue paper, and I’ve even managed the odd balloon animal. As long as you only want a slightly misshapen dog or giraffe,” I said, loving theway that Matty snorted and smiled. I was definitely going to get Jack to make a salt dough ornament for Christmas and raid my ideas supply for a host of other seasonal crafts between now and then.
It was always so cute seeing how proud children were of something they’d made, and I was definitely going to be the sort of boyfriend who kept everything Jack created.
“Impressive,” Matty said. “Hmm, I can’t do many crafts but I make a fucking good gingerbread house.”
“Seriously? I love gingerbread houses! Can we make one this year?”
“Of course. Maybe we’ll make a couple—one for you and me to decorate and one for Jack. Fuck it, maybe I’ll make three and we’ll have one each.” He tilted his head down and kissed me. “By the way, I’m taking Jack to Cyprus in July. You should come too. The villa’s already booked. Hannah might come too, if I can persuade her to take an actual bloody holiday.”
“I’d love that. Thank you.”
“Of course. You’re my boyfriend. I want you there.”
“I want to be there,” I said, my heart glowing as the word boyfriend settled into my chest. It sounded so right, and I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to be more. At least, not for now.
“Thanks for being fine with Hannah coming too,” Matty said, pulling his lip for a second. “We’re only friends these days, and it’s all we’ll ever be, but she’s still Jack’s mum and we get on really well. I know she finds parenting hard but I think she also wants to be a part of Jack’s life. It’s just finding a way that works for all of us. Jack, er, he was a complete surprise and she had severe perinatal depression, I think partly because she didn’t really get a choice since when we found out she was nearly six months gone. We joked she had no symptoms. Then she found out and suddenly, bump. Anyway, I want to help her and Jackconnect as much as possible, but in a healthy way where neither of them struggle—which might be impossible. I don’t know. But I’m telling you this because it’ll always be a part of our lives. Yeah, I’m a single dad but that doesn’t mean Hannah isn’t part of the conversation.”
I put my hand flat on his chest, right over his heart so I could feel it beating. “I love that,” I said. “Hannah told me a bit herself the first time we were at the rugby, and the fact you’re always considering what’s best for her and Jack as well as yourself… it… co-parenting can be really difficult and you two are doing a great job. And if she wants to come to Cyprus, I’d love her to be there too.”
“You’re amazing. And maybe one day we’ll be able to have a weekend away, just the two of us.”
“Maybe. But if it’s too much for Hannah, we could always ask one of my sisters. If they’ve met Jack, obviously, and he trusts them. But two of them already have kids and Marissa is the best aunty in the world.” I wasn’t going to mention that Marissa had threatened to drive down here and rip Matty a new one on Sunday night, with Sophie and Leigh in the back of the car.
I’d have to call them tomorrow and tell them things had all worked out before the three of them took matters into their own hands, big sister style.
“I’d like to meet them,” Matty said. “You’ll have to invite them down for lunch one day.”
